Problem: Determine how many solutions exist for the system of equations. ${-2x+y = -7}$ ${4x-2y = -8}$
Answer: Convert both equations to slope-intercept form: ${-2x+y = -7}$ $-2x{+2x} + y = -7{+2x}$ $y = -7+2x$ ${y = 2x-7}$ ${4x-2y = -8}$ $4x{-4x} - 2y = -8{-4x}$ $-2y = -8-4x$ $y = 4+2x$ ${y = 2x+4}$ Just by looking at both equations in slope-intercept form, what can you determine? ${y = 2x-7}$ ${y = 2x+4}$ Both equations have the same slope with different y-intercepts. This means the equations are parallel. ${1}$ ${2}$ ${3}$ ${4}$ ${5}$ ${6}$ ${7}$ ${8}$ ${9}$ ${\llap{-}2}$ ${\llap{-}3}$ ${\llap{-}4}$ ${\llap{-}5}$ ${\llap{-}6}$ ${\llap{-}7}$ ${\llap{-}8}$ ${\llap{-}9}$ ${1}$ ${2}$ ${3}$ ${4}$ ${5}$ ${6}$ ${7}$ ${8}$ ${9}$ ${\llap{-}2}$ ${\llap{-}3}$ ${\llap{-}4}$ ${\llap{-}5}$ ${\llap{-}6}$ ${\llap{-}7}$ ${\llap{-}8}$ ${\llap{-}9}$ Parallel lines never intersect, thus there are NO SOLUTIONS.